Ball State

ANNAPOLIS -- All it took was one look into the eyes of Navy coach George Chaump after his team's 33-10 loss to Ball State Saturday."I thought we'd be a more improved ballclub," Chaump said after his team committed four turnovers, including a fumble inside the Ball State 1-yard line, in losing its home opener. "I couldn't predict some things surfacing that I feared. A lot of the youth of the ballclub came out tonight. I hope we grew up in this game, we learned by it and that we're improved as we go into our second game."

A.J. Abrams had 26 points and Damion James added 16 to lead No. 6 Texas to a 67-58 victory over No. 15 Villanova last night in the Jimmy V Classic in New York. Abrams, who had 18 points in the second half, and James, the Longhorns' other leading scorer, combined to score 16 straight points for Texas (7-1) when it pulled away to a double-digit lead late in the second half. Villanova (8-1) had pulled to 41-38 with 10:54 to play on a layup by Dante Cunningham, who led the Wildcats with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Navy inside linebacker Ross Pospisil began to show his strength of character and compassion as a high school sophomore in Temple, Texas, when he went out of his way to befriend a group of Hispanics who seemed isolated in the school's lunchroom. "Ross just didn't like seeing that group of young people separated from everyone else," said Scott Pospisil, Ross' father. "He took his lunch tray and started to sit with them, just to get to know them. They didn't like it at first, but then they saw his heart.

BASEBALL American League * Orioles -- Signed Shawn Curran (catcher) and assigned him to the Orioles' team in the Gulf Coast League.* California Angels -- Activated Floyd Bannister (pitcher) from the 15-day disabled list. Optioned Bobby Rose (infielder) to Edmonton of the Pacific Coast League.* Detroit Tigers -- Placed Jerry Don Gleaton (pitcher) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 11. Sent Mike Dalton (pitcher) to Toledo of the International League. Activated Lloyd Moseby (outfielder)

ANNAPOLIS -- Even though Virginia defeated Navy, 56-14, last season and enters this week's game as a 29-point favorite, Cavaliers coach George Welsh has come up with a ploy that he hopes will keep his team sharp Saturday."

Schools that have clinched automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournaments: School Conference Men Appalachian State Southern Butler Mid. Coll. C. Conn. State Northeast Creighton Mo. Valley Gonzaga West Coast Iona MAAC Lafayette Patriot La.-Lafayette Sun Belt N.C.-Wilmington Colonial Penn Ivy Samford Trans America Ball State MAC SE Missouri State Ohio Valley Valparaiso Mid-Continent Winthrop Big South Women Connecticut Big East Dartmouth Ivy Duke Atlantic Coast Furman Southern Kent Mid-American Liberty Big South Oregon Pacific Purdue Big Ten St. Francis, Pa. Northeast St. Peter's MAAC San Diego West Coast Tennessee SEC Tennessee Tech Ohio Valley Tulane Conf.

Heisman stock Rising: Joey Harrington passed for 270 yards and 3 TDs. He had 173 yards and 3 TDs in the first period. Falling: Woodrow Dantzler was held to 118 yards and no TDs. He had 935 total yards and 10 TDs in his two previous games. Top performers Kurt Kittner: Passed for 401 yards and 4 TDs, breaking Jack Trudeau's Illinois record of 55 TDs. Fred Gibson: Caught 9 passes for 201 yards and 2 TDs, breaking a 59-year-old Georgia record for yardage. Upset of the week Stanford, beating No. 5 Oregon to end the nation's longest home winning streak at 23. He said it "Both my contacts fell out when I ran into one of those guys.

For The Record The quiz PICK OF THE DAY -- The only time the Ravens have played today's opponent, the Houston Texans, they won, 23-19, in 2002. Who made a diving interception with 1:57 left in the game to seal the victory? Answer below Moves BASEBALL ASTROS -- Agreed to terms with P Russ Springer on one-year contract. PHILLIES -- Signed P Tom Gordon to three-year contract. Basketball KNICKS -- Waived F Matt Barnes. Colleges BALL STATE -- Named Tom Collins athletic director. Football BUCCANEERS -- Signed K Todd France.

Navy coach Paul Johnson didn't let his quarterback, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, take all the blame after three interceptions made the difference in a 17-point loss at Rutgers on Friday night. Johnson questioned his own play-calling in a game that was closer than the score indicated. Speaking of Kaheaku-Enhada's third-quarter interception in the end zone on a first-down pass, Johnson said: "We made a poor decision and probably a poor play call on my part. I know we can't execute them. I don't know why I call them."

Three games into the season Navy coach Paul Johnson is still looking for his team to play sound, basic football. Though the Midshipmen rushed for 521 yards, the third most in school history, they lost in overtime Saturday night to Ball State, 34-31, after what should have been a an easy 32-yard Navy field goal attempt with two seconds left in regulation was blocked. The 521 rushing yards also were the third most by a losing team in NCAA history. Rice rushed for 570 yards in a 70-63 loss to San Jose State on Oct. 2, 2004, and Air Force rushed for 545 yards Nov. 24, 2001, in a 50-32 loss to Hawaii.